Getting To The Bottom of Construction’s Labor Woes

by: Duane Craig - May 17th, 2013   Filed under: Industry, Managing People Add Comment
Magnifying glass over employment paper

Construction’s predicted labor shortage is poised to strike the middle ranks.

Late in 2012 the Construction Labor Market Analyzer reported there would be an expected shortfall of two million construction workers in the U.S. through 2016. This added to the drumbeat being sounded since at least 2006, even before the great recession, when FMI, a construction management and investment firm, called a construction labor shortage the “biggest issue facing the industry for the next five to 10 years.” Read More

Three Surety Bonds Used for Environmental Protection

by: See Byline - March 29th, 2013   Filed under: Green, Industry, Process 1 Comment

By Danielle Rodabaugh

If you’ve worked in the construction industry for very long, you likely know at least a little bit about how surety bonds reinforce certain building standards. Each bond that’s issued requires the principal that buys it to fulfill certain obligations. The construction industry uses surety bonds for a variety of reasons, from ensuring contractors submit legitimate bids, to making sure material suppliers are paid in full. One area of bonding that’s often overlooked within the construction industry, however, is how surety bonds are used to uphold environmental integrity. Here’s how a few specific types of environmental surety bonds do just that. Read More

Predictors Say Office Construction Poised For Growth

by: Duane Craig - March 13th, 2013   Filed under: Finance, General News, Industry
New York skyline

While office skyline construction is showing robust signs, NY will be hampered in the near term because of large blocks of space weighing on the market, and 3 million SF returned to the downtown market in 2012 by financial services firms, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. (Photo © Newphotoservice | Dreamstime.com)

If the predictors are right, 2013 could be dubbed “the year of the office.” Constrained construction and heated demand for office space in the most active segments of the United States office market are already fueling prospects of rental increases and new office property development in 2013 and into 2014. In particular, an expansion period is approaching for the high-quality urbanized office sector of trophy skyscrapers known as the Skyline, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s Spring 2013 United States Skyline Review. Read More

“AEC Cares” Seeks Help In Making a Difference In Homelessness

by: Duane Craig - March 11th, 2013   Filed under: General News, Industry
A homeless man and child.

While chronic homelessness has declined almost 3% in recent years there are still almost 100,000 people in the U.S. who have been without shelter for a year or more, or, who have had 4 homeless episodes in the last three years. AEC Cares’ next project will help improve a shelter for the homeless. (Photo © Pojoslaw | Dreamstime.com)

This year, AEC Cares has its sights set on improving Denver, Colorado’s Beacon Place facility with a project start date of June 19. The goal is to renovate and enhance this Colorado Coalition for the Homeless facility that provides transitional housing for homeless people. AEC Cares is looking for volunteers of all kinds to help out with the project and is also seeking donations of money and materials. This is AEC Cares’ third project aimed at linking architecture and construction professionals to communities in need. Read More

Construction Insurance Market a Mixed Bag in 2013

by: Duane Craig - February 22nd, 2013   Filed under: Finance, General News, Industry, Managing 1 Comment
The DustBoss goes to work at a Homrich demo site in Michigan.

A DustBoss helps control airborne particulates on a demo site in Michigan. Pollution liability increased between 0% and 10% in late 2012 and is expected to rise another 5% during 2013.

Fewer insurance carriers are willing to extend endorsements to additional insureds on construction contracts, according to Marsh’s Annual US Insurance Market Report. This continues the trend of insurance companies remaining strict about “additional insured wording as they try to limit coverage afforded to the additional insureds on the contract requirements.” Read More

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Modular Construction Promises Less Construction Waste

by: Duane Craig - February 19th, 2013   Filed under: Finance, Green, Industry, Managing, Materials 1 Comment

The people over at ModSpace might be on to something as their infographic suggests — building with modular components can take a bite out of construction waste. Check out the infographic using the Read More button (unless you’ve already used it). Read More

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New Website Demystifies Construction Equipment Financing

by: Duane Craig - December 11th, 2012   Filed under: Finance, Industry
A front-end loader at a construction site Image credit: snehit / 123RF Stock Photo

During 2011, nearly half of all construction firms surveyed by the Associated General Contractors of America purchased equipment and 40 percent planned purchases in 2012. (Image credit: snehit / 123RF Stock Photo)

Most businesses require equipment in order to operate and grow, and for a majority of businesses, equipment financing is a key acquisition strategy. But, it’s often shrouded in mystery. So the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association launched a new website, www.EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org, to help businesses discover the benefits of equipment leasing and the ins and outs of financing it. The website is a one-stop resource with comprehensive information to help current and potential equipment owners with Read More

Cost-Saving Freight Shipping Strategies for Construction Firms

by: See Byline - December 10th, 2012   Filed under: Industry, Managing, Materials
Truck on highway

Besides saving money and time, being efficient when shipping construction materials and equipment can lower green house gas emissions and reduce the embodied energy in completed structures. (Image credit: chrisroll / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Alexandra Crews and FreightCenter.com

Freight shipping is an essential function of the construction industry. For professionals, the process of procuring materials and equipment can easily cut into your bottom line. Regular shipments include anything from structural steel, raw materials, machinery and heavy haul equipment, to lumber, bricks and concrete.

Luckily, the average business owner doesn’t have to be a logistics expert to save money Read More

When Construction Jobs Turn Into Disasters

by: See Byline - November 28th, 2012   Filed under: Industry, Safety
Home lifted from its foundation by a tornado

Damage from natural disasters as in this home being stripped from its foundation by a tornado in Michigan is an inherent risk of living on earth. But when structures collapse because of poor construction practices, or substandard materials, the damage is far less acceptable. (Image credit: gabes1976 / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Jenny Beswick and Telegraph

Human ingenuity has been responsible for countless astounding feats of construction. We have built everything from the pyramids at Giza to the Sistine Chapel, to the Petronas Towers. But for all the awe-inspiring successes, there have also been many failures. Here is a look at what happens when construction jobs go horribly wrong and projects are managed badly. Read More

An Unorthodox Trend in 2012 Commercial Construction

by: See Byline - November 14th, 2012   Filed under: Industry 1 Comment
Construction collage showing various stages of construction

According to the US Census Bureau there are more than 450,000 construction firms having between 0 and 4 employees, representing a total of more than 700,000 construction jobs. By contrast, the 901 firms claiming 500 or more employees account for 843,442 construction jobs. If construction continues recovering, as recent news implies, the quest for talent will heat up.  (Image credit: auremar / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Quinn Dawson

Apple grossed over $28 billion in quarterly profits for 2011. There are 424 billionaires in the United States, and in 2012 Americans spent a record 170 million on Halloween. So if a red fruit is your logo, you have a silver spoon or you are a distributor of Halloween costumes, you are most likely doing extremely well. But for the majority of us, our industries have had to overcome some financial setbacks in recent years. Many of our companies have been painfully stretched at best, and broken at worst. Read More

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Three Ways Contractors Still Cheat Each Other

by: See Byline - October 2nd, 2012   Filed under: Industry, Managing
Lone construction worker on a roof at twilight

Commercial construction and homebuilding are often pegged as harbors for undocumented workers leading to rampant payroll fraud. Texas, home to proponents of a national guest worker program, is eyeing legislative changes that will make the state more immigrant-friendly, while at the same time going after all the money not being paid by employers who sidestep paying employment taxes by claiming they hire independent contractors. Just another example of contractor fraud. (Image credit: lightkeeper / 123RF Stock Photo)

By Charlotte Howard

Working in the construction industry during a rebounding economy isn’t easy and unfortunately it can lead to fraud. But the potential of fraud goes beyond a crooked general contractor or subcontractor hurting the project owner. Things can also get messy between contractors — generals and subs. Here are three common ways this cheating occurs, how you can spot it, and how to avoid it.

Subcontractor Wage Fraud

For a majority of construction projects, the general contractor pays its subcontractors and those subs pay their employees. In many cases, and especially on prevailing wage jobs, the general is ultimately responsible for the wage practices of the subcontractors. If unscrupulous subs take advantage of workers by skimming money off the top before paying them, or, by not paying the prevailing wage, the general contractor can end up in court, as evidenced by this case in Kentucky. Read More

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Uncovering Even More Information About Construction’s Waste Stream

by: Duane Craig - September 17th, 2012   Filed under: Industry, Materials 2 Comments
The TCP HI-C40 Crusher Courtesy TCP Ltd.

Onsite crushers like this one are helping people all over the world to recycle masonry waste right where it originates. This unit has 60 tonnes (67.2 tons) of crushing force and fits through a standard gateway. (The TCP HI-C40 Crusher Courtesy TCP Ltd.)

Last week I did a podcast with Cesar Abeid over at Construction Industry Podcast about construction waste. I’ve written about this before, right here, but in this podcast we also talked about the global front and about how some places with civil unrest and disasters are handling the massive amount of waste from damaged and destroyed buildings. Tune in at the link just above to hear the podcast, and just below you can find some of the information that was covered, along with links. Read More

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Single-Family Residential Building Stock Predicted To Shrink by 4 Billion SF

by: Duane Craig - September 6th, 2012   Filed under: Finance, Industry
Manufacture of apartment houses on the conveyor.

PikeResearch predicts that by 2021, more than a quarter of the US housing stock will be multi-unit buildings. (Image credit: nikonaft / 123RF Stock) Photo

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Single-family homes dominate the residential building stock in the United States, accounting for more than 80 percent of total residential space. Over the last 60 years, the number of single-family homes in the United States has grown and the size of each home has increased, growing by about 40 percent between 1975 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census. Read More

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Will Construction Say Goodbye to Another Valuable Market?

by: Duane Craig - July 25th, 2012   Filed under: General News, Industry
Affordable housing in San Francisco

Architects David Baker + Partners created this stylish affordable housing that replaces a disused motel on San Francisco’s Le Conte Street. The project will have 17 studios, a total of 48 one and two-bedroom apartments, and 8 three-bedroom units. It’s strategically located near mass transit to accommodate people who don’t have vehicles. (Rendering Courtesy David Baker + Partners)

One part of the nation’s, and states’ infrastructure that is often overlooked in conversations about construction is public housing. While new funding for public housing hasn’t been available from the Department of Housing and Urban Development since 1994 there has been federal money flowing to local public housing authorities for operations, modernization and revitalization. The private sector has also managed to put together deals to upgrade public housing using private investment tied to tax incentives and other financially-motivational concepts. Read More

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The Concrete Industry Attacks PACs Used in Ohio

by: Duane Craig - July 17th, 2012   Filed under: Industry
New asphalt is spread on a roadway.

By more than one estimate, asphalt roads account for more than 95 percent of all roadways in the U.S. While contractors who use asphalt are often favored with price adjustment clauses, the concrete industry argues those contract mechanisms are not fair to taxpayers. (Image credit: blasbike / 123RF Stock Photo)

The concrete industry is taking the offensive in a road construction issue in Ohio, according to a press release by the Portland Cement Association. Apparently, contractors in Ohio can use change orders throughout a contract’s lifetime to adjust their asphalt prices as the price of oil rises. The PCA quoted numbers from the Federal Highway Administration 2011 report, showing Ohio paid $36,966,000 in change orders Read More

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